France and Germany plan' more active' EU defence

[Vergennes]

A change of command at the EUTM Mali, a joint military partnership between the EU and Mali. Photo: Eurocorps

France and Germany are preparing joint proposals for a "more active and more useful" European defence policy, the French defence ministry told AFP on Friday.

The document, by French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart Ursula von der Leyen, will serve as a "basis for considering a relaunch of European defence", the ministry said and comes ahead of a European Union summit to discuss plans to boost the bloc's security and defence

mechanisms.

The objective is to make European defence "more active and more useful without substituting it for national defence bodies which remain, by definition, the key to the security of EU member states," a member of Le
Drian's entourage said.

"What we are looking for is to trigger EU operations more easily," he added, without revealing details of the plans. He did say, however, that these were "concrete" proposals and not just "grand ideas".

The Franco-German document proposes the establishment of a European defence headquarters, a common satellite surveillance system and the sharing of logistics and military medical resources, according to the Saturday edition of the German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung

There would be a tighter circle of EU members for some defence projects where it proves impossible to gain agreement from all, the paper added, citing the document.

There is also a suggestion for better use of Eurocorps, an intergovernmental military body that has France and Germany at its centre. Belgium, Spain and Luxembourg are members of the Strasbourg-based Eurocorps, set up for rapid deployment to hotspots.

The EU has already been involved in the training of foreign armies, as part of conflict resolution, and might become involved in financing their equipment.

The bloc could also become engaged in research and development, to strengthen the European defence industry. The discussions are in part due to the June vote by Britain to leave the EU.

According to von der Leyen, London had long "paralysed" European efforts to have a more closely integrated security policy.

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated the joint security initiative on the margins of a NATO summit in July and are set to present the resulting ideas for discussion at the EU summit in Bratislava next week.

The informal meeting is expected to provide a new impetus for the EU in several areas, including youth and investments, as the bloc seeks to forge its future without Britain. However British Prime Minister Theresa May reaffirmed on Thursday that she would not launch Brexit talks this year.

http://www.thelocal.fr/20160910/france-and-germany-plan-more-active-eu-defence

 

[vostok]

Long overdue decision!

 

[randomradio]

With Britain leaving the EU, the EU will become a powerful military bloc under France and Germany.

 

[UKBengali]

With Britain leaving the EU, the EU will become a powerful military bloc under France and Germany.

No it won't as France is economically weak and Germany does not want to spend on defence.

 

[Vergennes]

No it won't as France is economically weak and Germany does not want to spend on defence.

Despite a struggling economy,the defence budget continue to increase and the budget minister agreed to allocate the defence €418Mn more than initially planned in 2017.
All future president candidates agree that we need to boost our defence spending and to reach the 2% of the GDP. (1,42% actually.)
-
Germany,even far from the 2% target is going to drastically increase its defence spending.
The budget is set to increase by €1.7Bn next year and by €10Bn by 2020.

Long overdue decision!

With Britain leaving the EU, the EU will become a powerful military bloc under France and Germany.

The UK has always paralysed the idea of an EU defence,things will now be easier.

 

[UKBengali]

Despite a struggling economy,the defence budget continue to increase and the budget minister agreed to allocate the defence €418Mn more than initially planned in 2017.
All future president candidates agree that we need to boost our defence spending and to reach the 2% of the GDP. (1,42% actually.)
-
Germany,even far from the 2% target is going to drastically increase its defence spending.
The budget is set to increase by €1.7Bn next year and by €10Bn by

Plans and what will happen are two different things.

Is the German plan on top of inflation?

 

[randomradio]

The UK has always paralysed the idea of an EU defence,things will now be easier.

I'm hoping the French and Germans unite the EU under a single govt.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/683739/EU-referendum-German-French-European-superstate-Brexit

This will lead into a new era of growth for Europe.

It will be a Little India, multiple countries, multiple cultures united as one.

 

[waz]

The UK has always paralysed the idea of an EU defence,things will now be easier.

Truth being told you are right. The UK has always resented the idea of a more bolder EU defence. The people are fiercely proud of our armed forces, and it was one of the arguments that won the Brexit campaign.
Things will be clearer for the union now.

It will be a Little India, multiple countries, multiple cultures united as one.

What?

 

[randomradio]

What?

Germany, people speak German. France, people speak French. Italy, people speak Italian.

Karnataka, people speak Kannada. Tamil Nadu, people speak Tamil. Andhra Pradesh, people speak Telgu.

And so on.

India's states are divided based on culture and language. A combined European country will be the same. So that takes care of multiple countries, multiple languages quote.

As for Little India, India's population is almost thrice that of the EU. And we have about 18 states that are as big as Germany, France, Spain and Italy alone. So Little India.

 

[waz]

Germany, people speak German. France, people speak French. Italy, people speak Italian.

Karnataka, people speak Kannada. Tamil Nadu, people speak Tamil. Andhra Pradesh, people speak Telgu.

And so on.

India's states are divided based on culture and language. A combined European country will be the same. So that takes care of multiple countries, multiple languages quote.

As for Little India, India's population is almost thrice that of the EU. And we have about 18 states that are as big as Germany, France, Spain and Italy alone. So Little India.

Oh I understand now.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

French / Germans always had plan to take over UK, seems like they are going back to their old habits

French had a some beef with Britain till 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte and British angle is really fresh in French minds

German vs Britain , issues are well documented till WW2


Is rest of "Europe" like a peasant, compared to French / Germany. As I know french always like all announcements made in their own native language

 

[Penguin]

Plans and what will happen are two different things.

Is the German plan on top of inflation?

All of 0.4% inflation?
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/germany/inflation-cpi

Germany, people speak German. France, people speak French. Italy, people speak Italian.

Karnataka, people speak Kannada. Tamil Nadu, people speak Tamil. Andhra Pradesh, people speak Telgu.

And so on.

India's states are divided based on culture and language. A combined European country will be the same. So that takes care of multiple countries, multiple languages quote.

As for Little India, India's population is almost thrice that of the EU. And we have about 18 states that are as big as Germany, France, Spain and Italy alone. So Little India.

Germans, French, Italians etc all speak English too, as this is part of all secondary school curricula.

 

[randomradio]

Germans, French, Italians etc all speak English too, as this is part of all secondary school curricula.

The same in India.

English is part of the curriculum. It is either the first language or the second language in all schools.

 

[Penguin]

The same in India.

English is part of the curriculum. It is either the first language or the second language in all schools.

Hence "TOO"

 

[Penguin]

French / Germans always had plan to take over UK, seems like they are going back to their old habits

French had a some beef with Britain till 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte and British angle is really fresh in French minds

German vs Britain , issues are well documented till WW2


Is rest of "Europe" like a peasant, compared to French / Germany. As I know french always like all announcements made in their own native language

Thanks, we Dutch are only peasants. And, the Dutch've actually at some point taken over England, Ireland and Scotland.

William III (Dutch: Willem; 4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702) was sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from 1672, and King of England, Ireland, and Scotland from 1689 until his death. It is a coincidence that his regnal number (III) was the same for both Orange and England. As King of Scotland, he is known as William II. He is informally known by sections of the population in Northern Ireland and Scotland as "King Billy".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_III_of_England

Of course, Brit and Dutch and German royals are all intermixed ;-)

And France is predominantly Catholic compared to more protestant Germany (so, historically not a natural alliance > see Franco-German wars). In that sense, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain are closer. (Which explains the intermixed Royalty)

Note Germany and France aren't in the top 10 of most innovative countries in the world
http://www.techinsider.io/the-most-...f-the-worlds-internet-data-its-primary-goal-3
http://www.dutchdailynews.com/netherlands-among-worlds-top-5-most-innovative-countries/

The Brits should make up their minds whether or not they want to be part of Europe or part of the US.